Centrifuge

ABSTRACT

A centrifuge, especially for separating chips from cooling fluids and lubricants, which includes rotatable substantially vertical drum means having a bottom and also having inlet opening means for admitting the mixture containing the media to be separated from each other in said drum and also having first and second outlet means for respectively discharging the lighter and heavier separated medium, said first outlet means for the lighter separated medium being located above and in spaced relationship to said bottom of said drum.

United States Patent Inventor Theodor sloierle Ludwigsburg-Pflugfelden,Germany Appl. Nov 773,174 Filed Nov. 4, 1968 Patented July 27, 1971Assignee Karl Huller Gwellschaft mit beschrankter Battling Ludwigsburg,Germany Priority Nov. 4, 1967 Germany P 16 32 296.6

CENTRIFUGE 2| Claims, 5 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl. 233/7 Int.Cl 1304b 1/00, B04b 3/00 FieldoiSearch ..233/7, 6,8,

I 56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 945,592 1/1910 Phillips233/7 930,966 8/1909 .lahn 233/7 2,054,058 9/1936 Laughlin. r. 233/73,081,026 3/1963 Lacker 233/7 Primary ExaminerRobert We JenkinsAttorney-Walter Becker ABSTRACT: A centrifuge, especially for separatingchips from cooling fluids and lubricants, which includes rotatablesubstantially vertical drum means having a bottom and also having inletopening means for admitting the mixture containing the media to beseparated from each other in said drum and also having first and secondoutlet means for respectively discharging the lighter and heavierseparated medium, said first outlet means for the lighter separatedmedium being located above and in spaced relationship to said bottom ofsaid drum.

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' CENTRIFUGE The present invention relates to a centrifuge, especiallyfor separating chips and cooling or lubricating means, which is providedwith a rotatable conveying worm arranged in a rotatable substantiallyvertical drum. The present invention specifically concerns a centrifugeof the type just described with an inlet opening in the drum and withoutlet openings for the separated media being located within the drumwhen viewed axially.

A centrifuge of this type is known according to which the outletopenings for the lighter medium are formed by downwardly directed pipesections which are arranged at the bottom of the drum. This design hasthe drawback that with the lighter medium easily also particles of theheavier medium are able to leave the drum because the heavier medium canat least partially collect at the bottom of the drum.

A further disadvantage of the above-mentioned heretoforeknown centrifugeconsists in that the inlet opening for the medium to be separated islocated at the upper side of the drum whereby a fast separation of themedium is prevented inasmuch as the still intermixed media will onlyslowly pass from the top to the bottom to the outlet openings for thelighter medium.

When with the heretofore-known centrifuge at the bottom of the drumparts of the heavier medium have collected, the latter can leave thedrum only through the outlet openings for the lighter medium.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide acentrifuge of the above-mentioned general type which will overcome theabove-mentioned drawbacks.

It is another object of this invention to provide a centrifuge of theabove character which will assure a high degree of purity of theseparated media.

It is a still further object of the present invention to provide acentrifuge with the above-mentioned general features which, however,will be smaller and more compact and will nevertheless be able toprocess a relatively large quantity of a mixture in a minimum of time.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will appear moreclearly from the following specification in connection with theaccompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a vertical section through a centrifuge according to thepresent invention.

FIG. 2 is a top view of the centrifuge according to FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 diagrammatically illustrates a vertical section through amodified centrifuge according to the invention.

FIG. 4 is a top view of the centrifuge according to FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a view taken on line V-V of FIG. 3.

In a centrifuge, especially for separating chips and cooling orlubricating means, with a rotatable conveyor worm arranged in arotatable substantially vertical drum, and with an inlet opening in thedrum for the medium to be separated and outlet openings for theseparated media of which the outlet opening for the lighter medium islocated within the drum when viewed axially, the outlet opening for thelighter medium is, in conformity with the present invention, arranged inspaced relationship to and above the bottom of the drum. This willassure a high degree of purity of the separated media. For purposes ofincreasing the degree of efficiency of the centrifuge, expediently aplurality of the outlet openings are preferably uniformly distributedaround the axis of rotation of the drum. In order to assure that thelighter medium, following its separation, can quickly flow off, theoutlet openings are located in a substantially vertical plane.

The centrifuge according to the invention is of particularly simpleconstruction when at the bottom of the drum there is arranged a hollowbody, preferably a cylinder which is closed at its upper end face andwhich comprises the outlet openings. The rotatable hollow body may, in asimple manner, form the support for the drum.

For supporting the feeding worm in a safe manner, the latter may at thecircumference of the hollow body be supported by rollers or the like.

The lighter medium leaving the drum can immediately be collected ifdirectly below the hollow body, which at the lower end is at leastpartially open, there is provided a collecting vessel or container forthe lighter medium.

According to a further feature of the invention, the drum and the wormare at least partially conical so that when the drum rotates, a forcecomponent in downward direction acts upon the medium. Against thisforce, the heavier medium is moved upwardly by the feeding worm.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the drum'and theworm are cylindrical up to the level where the outlet opening isprovided, and from this cylindrical portion upwardly the worm is conicalso that a particularly favorable shape is obtained for the separation ofthe centrifuged material.

According to a further development of the invention, the inlet openingis located within the worm above the bottom of the drum, preferablycoaxially with regard to the axis of the drum so that the material to becentrifuged can be introduced into the drum in a simple manner.

It is particularly advantageous to form the inlet opening by the end ofa conduit preferably located in the axis of the drum. Such conduit isadvantageously surrounded by an annular guiding surface which preferablyis of a frustoconical shape and the circumference of which is located inthe immediate vicinity of the inner surface of the worm. In this way,the material to be centrifuged will be uniformly introduced intothedrum. The guiding surface may be formed by a guiding plate or thelike arranged at the conduit.

The introduction into the drum of the material to be centrifuged may befurther improved by locating the inlet opening directly above the upperend face of the hollow body and preferably directed toward a dish.

Expediently, the hollow body is closed at its upper end face while theupper end face is preferably indented in a frustoconical manner so thatthe material to be centrifuged flowing into the hollow body will bycentrifugal force be deviated at an incline upwardly away from thehollow body. For the heavier medium, the drum, below the upper end ofthe worm, is provided with an outlet opening. The drum ends preferablybelow the upper end of the worm so that the outlet for the heaviermedium is formed by the upper opening of the drum. Advantageously, belowthe outlet opening of the drum for the heavier medium there is provideda guiding surface surrounding the drum which guiding surface ispreferably connected to the drum and assures an accelerated withdrawalof the heavier medium in radial direction toward the outside. Theguiding surface may be formed in an advantageous manner by a guidingplate which is preferably frustoconical or crowned. This guiding plateexpediently protrudes beyond the housing surrounding the drum.

For conveying the heavier medium away, for instance to-a collectingstation, an inclined discharging path for the heavier medium is providedbelow the circumference of the guiding surface. The said guiding surfacepreferably ends at a receiving container located adjacent the receivingcontainer for the lighter medium. However, it is advantageously likewisepossible to provide followers which are preferably mounted so as to beable to carry out a pendulumlike movement, said followers ortransporting elements being located in an annular chamber between thehousing and an outer housing. The said transporting elements orfollowers are driven, for instance, in a reciprocatory manner andtransport the heavier medium, dropped from the guiding surface into theannular chamber, to a collecting station. In order to prevent theheavier medium from collecting at the bottom of the drum, the conveyorworm is provided with a scraping member arranged in the vicinity of thebottom of the drum. This scraping member or device picks up the heaviermedium at the bottom of the drum. As a result thereof, the heaviermedium can be transported upwardly by the conveyor worm. The scrapermember may, in a simple manner, be formed by the downwardly inclinedlower end of the worm.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, a transmission fordriving the drum and the conveyor worm is arranged at the upper side ofthe centrifuge. It is, however, of particular advantage to arrange thetransmission at the bottom side of the centrifuge because in such aninstance a relatively large inlet can be obtained for the material to becentrifuged, and small dimensions will be obtained while the centrifugeis in a stable condition. In this instance, advantageously, of thecoaxially arranged driving shafts, the inner driving shaft is connectedto the dish fastened to the conveyor worm, whereas the outer drivingshaft is connected to the drum.

Referring now to the drawings in detail and FIGS. 1 and 2 thereof inparticular, these last-mentioned figures show a centrifuge according tothe invention which has a cylindrical outer housing 1 having arrangedtherein a cylindrical inner housing 2 which is coaxially arranged withregard to the outer housing 1. The inner housing 2 is firmly connectedto the outer housing 1. Within the inner housing 2 there is provided adrum 3 which is rotatable about a vertical axis which is coaxial to thehousings 1, 2. The bottom part 4 of the drum 3 is connected to a hollowcylindrical body 5 arranged coaxially with regard to the drum andconnected to said hollow body 5. The hollow body 5 is by bearing means,such. as ball bearings, rotatably journaled on a shaft 6 so that alsothe drum 3 is rotatably mounted. The hollow body 5, which is closed atits upper side by a frustoconical end member 7 has above the bottomportion 4 of the drum in its sidewall outlet openings which areuniformly distributed over the circumference. Below the hollow body 5there is located a collecting container 9 and immediately below thehollow body 5 there is provided a downwardly widening guiding plate 10.The lower range 11 of the drum 3 is approximately up to the level of theoutlet openings 8 of the hollow body 5 cylindrical, said cylindricalpart 11 merging with an upwardly decreasing conical part 12. The upperend of drum 3 is by means of a flange 13 connected to a gear 14 in sucha way that the drum 3 through a toothed belt 15 or the like can bedriven by a motor 16 located at the outside of the housing 1.

Provided in the drum 3 is a suspended conveyor worm 17 the helicalconveying section 18 of which is arranged in the direct vicinity of theinner wall of the drum and extends from the bottom 4 of the drum 3beyond the upper edge 19 thereof. The said helical section 18 isconnected to a plurality, preferably three, webs 20 which are uniformlydistributed over the circumference, said webs being located at the innerside of the helical section 18 and inserted thereinto. At the lower endof the webs 20 there is fastened a supporting ring 21 having rotatablyjournaled thereon supporting rollers 22 by means of which the conveyorworm l7 rests against the outer circumference of the cylindrical hollowbody 5.

The upper ends of the webs 20 or the helical section 18 are connected toa flange 23 which is connected to a gear 24 arranged coaxially withregard to the gear 14 of the drum 3. The drive for the drum 3 and theconveyor worm I7 is advantageously effected by the same driving motor 16and is so selected that the conveyor worm 17 which rotates in the samedirection as the drum 3 rotates faster to a definite extent which meansthat the conveyor worm 17 carries out a conveying rotation relative tothe drum 3.

Below the upper edge 19 of drum 3 and to the outside thereof there isconnected an obtuse-angled guiding plate 25 which extends beyond theinner housing 2. In the annular chamber 46 between the outer housing 1and the inner housing 2 there is provided an inclined flowotf path 26which extends to an opening 27 in the bottom of the outer housing 1,said opening being located above the collecting container 28.

In the axis of rotation of drum 3 or conveyor worm l7 and in the upperrange of the drum 3 there is provided an inlet pipe 29 which leadsupwardly from said drum. At the lower end of the inlet pipe 29 there isconnected a frustoconical annular guiding plate 30 which is locateddirectly above the end portion 7 of the hollow body 5.

For purposes of separating, for instance, a mixture of chips and coolingor insulating fluid, this mixture is .introduced through the inlet pipe29 into the drum 3. The drum 3 and the conveyor worm l7 rotate in thesame direction but at different speeds so that the conveyor worm 17rotates faster than the drum 3. The mixture which flows against theobtuse-angled end portion 7 of the hollow body 5 is moved between theguiding plate 30 and the end portion 7 radially outwardly against thewall of the drum 3 in such a way that the liquid, in view of therotation of the drum, forms a parabolic surface as indicated in dot-dashlines at 31. in view of the rotary movement of the drum 3, the heaviermedium of the mixture will be located radially farther outwardly thanthe lighter medium which through the openings 8 flows into the hollowbody 5 and from there into the collecting container 9. The heaviermedium is along the inner wall of the drum moved by the conveyor worm 17upwardly to the upper edge 19 of the drum and there is centrifugedradially outwardly onto the discharge path 26 from where it passes intothe collecting container 28. lf desired, particles of the heavier mediumcollecting at the bottom of the drum, are received by the end 32 of thehelical section 18, which end is designed as scraper member, and areconveyed upwardly out of the drum 3. To this end, the lower end 32 ofthe conveyor worm 17 is by an inclined portion designed so that it isapproximately sharp and is located directly above the bottom 4 of thedrum. The upper side of the outer housing 1 may be closed by a cover.

According to the modification illustrated in FIGS. 35, the drum 3a andthe conveyor worm 17a are driven by a drive motor which is located belowthe drum 3a within the range of the collecting container 9a. The motor16:: has two shafts 33, 34 which are coaxially arranged with regard tothe drum 3a, said shafts also being coaxial with regard to the worm 17a.The outer shaft 33 forms a hollow shaft and through a corresponding plugcoupling is drivingly connected to the hollow body 5a connected to thedrum 3a. The inner shaft 34 is by means of a further plug couplingdrivingly connected to a disc 35 located above the drum 5a. Said disc 35is located directly above the hollow body 5a and is directed against theobtuse-angled conical guiding plate 30a of the inlet pipe 29a. The outercircumference of the guiding plate 30a is located in the immediatevicinity of the inner edge of the helical section 18a of the conveyorworm 17a.

The drive of the two shafts 33, 34 is effected through the interventionof two separate transmission stages 36, 37 and 38, 39. The driving gear36 pertaining to the transmission stage of the driving shaft 33 for drum30 has the same number of teeth as the driven gear 39 of thetransmission stage which pertains to the drive for the conveyor worm17a. The driving gear 38 of the last-mentioned transmission stage hasthe same number of teeth as the driven gear 37 of the transmission stage36, 37 pertaining to the drum 3a. Finally, the number of teeth of thedriving gear 38 of the transmission stage pertaining to the conveyorworm 17a is higher than the number of teeth of the driven gear 39 of thesame transmission stage.

As will be evident from FIG. 5, the plug couplings of the shafts 33, 34may be formed by polygonal profiles. However, instead of such polygonalprofiles, also other splined shaft profiles of any standard type may beemployed.

The drum 3a and the conveyor worm 17a rest against the upper side of theouter housing through the intervention of coaxially arrangedantifriction bearings.

Arranged in the annular chamber 46a between the outer housing In and theinner housing 2a are transporting blades 46 which are mounted so as tobe movable on a corresponding circular path. The lower ends 41 of saidblades 46 extend in the vicinity of the bottom of the annular chamber46a. The blades 40 are at their upper ends journaled in a pendulumlikemanner about shafts 42 which are radially arranged with regardto theannular chamber 46a and in this range are guided by rollers 43 along apath 44 provided on the inner housing 2a.

The blades 40are driven by a reversible electric motor 45 in such a waythat they carry out pendulumlike movements and convey chips or the likewhich pass over the crowned guiding,

plate 250 into the annular chamber 46a into the Collecting container28a.

With embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, the end portion 7a of thehollow body 5a is conically depressed at an obtuse angle downwardlytoward the axis of rotation so that particles of the mixture to beprocessed which drop into the end portion 7a are by centrifugal forcethrown at an angle upwardly and cannot pass into the outlet openings 80.

It is, of course, to be understood that the present invention is, by nomeans, limited to the particular embodiments shown in the drawings butalso comprises modifications within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A centrifuge especially for separating chips from cooling fluids andlubricants, which includes: rotatable substantially vertical drum meanshaving a bottom and also having inlet opening means for admitting themixture containing the media to be separated from each other in saiddrum and also having first and second outlet means for respectivelydischarging the lighter and heavier separated medium, said first outletmeans for the lighter separated medium being located above and in spacedrelationship to said bottom of said drum, said bottom having its centralportion designed as a hollow body having upwardly extending wall meansand having one end closed and together with said upwardly extending wallmeans extending into said drum, said first outlet means being located insaid upwardly extending wall means.

2. A centrifuge according to claim 1, in which said hollow body isrotatably journaled and supports said drum.

3. A centrifuge according to claim '1, which includes worm conveyormeans rotatably arranged within said drum and provided with roller meansengaging the outer surface of said upwardly extending wall means of saidhollow body for resting said conveyor worm means thereagainst.

4. A centrifuge according to claim 3, in which said drum and saidconveyor worm means are each at least partially conical.

5. A centrifuge according to claim 3, in which the lower portion of saiddrum and said worm conveyor means are substantially cylindrical up toapproximately said first outlet means, and in which said drum and saidworm conveyor means above said cylindrical portion are conical.

6. A centrifuge according to claim 3, in which said inlet opening meansis located within said drum and above the central portion of the bottomof said drum.

7. A centrifuge according to claim 6, which includes conduit meansleading into said drum and having one end forming said inlet openingmeans.

8. A centrifuge according to claim 7, which includes first conical hoodmeans adjacent to and surrounding said inlet outlet means for theheavier separated medium is located in the vicinity of but lower thanthe upper end of said worm conveyor means.

11. A centrifuge according to claim 3, in which said worm conveyor meanshas the lower end thereof designed as a scraper adjacent tothe bottom ofsaid drum.

12. A centrifuge according to claim 3, which includes driving means fordriving both said drum and said worm conveyor means.

13. A centrifuge according to claim 1, in which the other end of saidhollow body is at least partially open for releasing into a collectingvessel the separated lighter medium passed through said first outletmeans into the interior of said hollow d l A centrifuge according toclaim 1, in which said inlet opening means is located in the vicinity ofand above said one closed end of said hollow body.

15. A centrifuge according to claim 1, which includes hood meansarranged on the outside of said drum at a level lower than the level ofsaid second outlet means and forming guiding surface means for themedium discharged through said second outlet means for the heavierseparatedmedium.

16. A centrifuge according to claim 15, which includes first housingmeans surrounding said drum, and in which said hood means extends beyondsaid first housing means.

17. A centrifuge according to claim 16, which includes inclineddischarge guiding means for the separated heavier medium and alsoincludes a collecting container for receiving separated heavier mediumdischarged through said second outlet means.

18. A centrifuge according to claim 16, which includes housing meanssurrounding said first housing means in spaced relationship thereto soas to form an annular chamber therewith, and transporting means movablyarranged in said annular chamber for imparting movement onto theseparated medium discharged over said hood means into said annularchamber.

19. A centrifuge according to claim 1, which includes driving meansarranged at the lower portion of said centrifuge for driving both saiddrum and said conveyor means, said driving means including first shaftmeans drivingly connected-to said worm conveyor means and also includessecond shaft means drivingly connected to said drum.

20. In a centrifuge, especially, for separating chips from coolingfluids and lubricants and including a rotatable substantially verticaldrum means having a-bot tom and also having a conveying worm as well asinlet opening means for admitting the mixture containing the media to beseparated from each other in the drum and havingv first and secondoutlet means for respectively discharging the lighter and heavierseparated medium so that first outlet means for the lighter separatedmedium is located above and in spaced relationship to the bottom of thedrum, the improvement therewith which comprises: a hollow body extendingupwardly where the first outlet means for the lighter medium is in anarea above the bottom of the drum.

21. The improvement of claim 20, wherein said hollow body is formed by acylinder having a closed top and a mantle portion through which theoutlet means are provided.

1. A centrifuge especially for separating chips from cooling fluids andlubricants, which includes: rotatable substantially vertical drum meanshaving a bottom and also having inlet opening means for admitting themixture containing the media to be separated from each other in saiddrum and also having first and second outlet means for respectivelydischarging the lighter and heavier separated medium, said first outletmeans for the lighter separated medium being located above and in spacedrelationship to said bottom of said drum, said bottom having its centralportion designed as a hollow body having upwardly extending wall meansand having one end closed and together with said upwardly extending wallmeans extending into said drum, said first outlet means being located insaid upwardly extending wall means.
 2. A centrifuge according to claim1, in which said hollow body is rotatably journaled and supports saiddrum.
 3. A centrifuge according to claim 1, which includes worm conveyormeans rotatably arranged within said drum and provided with roller meansengaging the outer surface of said upwardly extending wall means of saidhollow body for resting said conveyor worm means thereagainst.
 4. Acentrifuge according to claim 3, in which said drum and said conveyorworm means are each at least partially conical.
 5. A centrifugeaccording to claim 3, in which the lower portion of said drum and saidworm conveyor means are substantially cylindrical up to approximatelysaid first outlet means, and in which said drum and said worm conveyormeans above said cylindrical portion are conical.
 6. A centrifugeaccording to claim 3, in which said inlet opening means is locatedwithin said drum and above the central portion of the bottom of saiddrum.
 7. A centrifuge according to claim 6, which includes conduit meansleading into said drum and having one end forming said inlet openingmeans.
 8. A centrifuge according to claim 7, which includes firstconical hood means adjacent to and surrounding said inlet opening means.9. A centrifuge according to claim 3, which includes partition meansinterposed between said outlet means and above said closed end of saidhollow body, said partition means being connected to said worm conveyormeans.
 10. A centrifuge according to claim 3, in which said secondoutlet means for the heavier separated medium is located in the vicinityof but lower than the upper end of said worm conveyor means.
 11. Acentrifuge according to claim 3, in which said worm conveyor means hasthe lower end thereof designed as a scraper adjacent to the bottom ofsaid drum.
 12. A centrifuge according to claim 3, which includes drivingmeans for driving both said drum and said worm conveyor means.
 13. Acentrifuge according to claim 1, in which the other end of said hollowbody is at least partially open for releasing into a collecting vesselthe separated lighter medium passed through said first outlet means intothe interior of said hollow body.
 14. A centrifuge according to claim 1,in which said inlet opening means is located in the vicinity of andabove said one closed end of said hollow body.
 15. A centrifugeaccording to claim 1, which includes hood means arranged on the outsideof said drum at a level lower than the level of said second outlet meansand forming guiding surface means for the medium discharged through saidsecond outlet means for the heavier separated medium.
 16. A centrifugeaccording to claim 15, which includes first housing means surroundingsaid drum, and in which said hood means extends beyond said firsthousing means.
 17. A centrifuge according to claim 16, which includesinclined discharge guiding means for the separated heavier medium andalso includes a collecting container for receiving separated heaviermedium discharged through said second outlet means.
 18. A centrifugeaccording to claim 16, which includes housing means surrounding saidfirst housing means in spaced relationship thereto so as to form anannular chamber therewith, and transporting means movably arranged insaid annular chamber for imparting movement onto the separated mediumdischarged over said hood means into said annular chamber.
 19. Acentrifuge according to claim 1, which includes driving means arrangedat the lower portion of said centrifuge for driving both said drum andsaid conveyor means, said driving means including first shaft meansdrivingly connected to said worm conveyor means and also includes secondshaft means drivingly connected to said drum.
 20. In a centrifuge,especially for separating chips from cooling fluids and lubricants andincluding a rotatable substantially vertical drum means having a bottomand also having a conveying worm as well as inlet opening means foradmitting the mixture containing the media to be separated from eachother in the drum and having first and second outlet means forrespectively discharging the lighter and heavier separated medium sothat first outlet means for the lighter separated medium is locatedabove and in spaced relationship to the bottom of the drum, theimprovement therewith which comprises: a hollow body extending upwardlywhere the fiRst outlet means for the lighter medium is in an area abovethe bottom of the drum.
 21. The improvement of claim 20, wherein saidhollow body is formed by a cylinder having a closed top and a mantleportion through which the outlet means are provided.